One wheeled front drive unit

ABSTRACT

A one wheeled front drive unit adapted to pull a vehicle component removably attached thereto wherein the front drive unit includes a frame assembly pivotally mounting a motor driving a pinion drivably connected to a sprocket affixed to a wheel rotatably carried by said frame assembly. Support means are pivotally connected to the frame assembly through a bearing assembly and are provided with coupling means for removably attaching a vehicle component thereto.

United States I Patent 1191 Storm ONE WHEELED FRONT DRIVE UNIT [76]Inventor: Nelson Storm, 213 Perry, Rossville,

[22] Filed: Jan. 19, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 218,904

[52] U.S. Cl 180/13, l80/26 R, 180/31 [51] Int. Cl B62m7/l0 [58] Fieldof Search 180/11, l2, 13, 26 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 860,251 7/1907 Schmoele180/13 2,503,106 4/1950 Fritz 180/13 X 3,155,185 11/1964 Allen et a].180/31 3,340,947 9/1967 Hollinshead et a1. ..'180/31 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 1,097,127 2/1955 France 180/26 R June 12, 1973 550,07710/1956 Italy 180/11 Primary Examiner-Leo Friaglia AssistantExaminerLeslie J. Paperner Attorney-Fred L. Witherspoon, Jr. and AnthonyT.

Lane

[57] ABSTRACT A one wheeled front drive unit adapted to pull a vehiclecomponent removably attached thereto wherein the front drive unitincludes a frame assembly pivotally mounting a motor driving a piniondrivably connected to a sprocket affixed to a wheel rotatably carried bysaid frame assembly. Support means are pivotally connected to the frameassembly through a bearing assembly and are provided with coupling meansfor removably attaching a vehicle component thereto.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ONE WI-IEELED FRONT DRIVE UNIT SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION pinion may be properly adjusted by pivoting of the motorand associated pinion.

It is another object of this invention to provide a one wheeled frontdrive unit having a frame assembly with pivotally mounted support meansprovided with coupling means for attachment to a vehicle component andfurther wherein the angularity of the pivoting of the support means maybe varied.

The above and additional objects will become more apparent when taken inconjunction with the following detailed description and drawings,showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating theone wheeled front power drive unit connected to a one wheeled tandemseat unit;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the vehicle combination of FIG. 1 showing thetwo vehicle components separated;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the one wheeled front power driveconnected to a carryall;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view illustrating details of the one wheeledfront power drive unit;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the motor support frame; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a portion of the front power driveunit, showing the bearing structure provided for turning and theshimming that may be required depending upon the type of vehicle beingpulled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, thevehicle combination comprises a one wheeled front power drive unit 10attached to a one wheeled tandem seat unit 12. The one wheeled frontpower drive unit 10 comprises a frame assembly 14 including a pair ofspaced apart and parallel five sided frames 16 retained in spaced andparallel relation by rear cross plate 18 and front cross brace 20. Moreparticularly, each frame 16 includes a top generally horizontal box bar22 with a front box bar 24 extending downwardly from the forward end ofthe top bar 22 and a bottom box bar-26 extending rearwardly and slightlydownwardly from the termination of the front bar 24. A lower rear boxbar 28 extends upwardly at an angle from the end of the bottom bar 26and an upper rear bar 30 connects the end of lower rear bar 28 to therear end of top bar 22.

As previously set forth, the two frames 16-16 are held assembled inspaced and parallel relation at the rear by cross plate 18 which issecured to the upper portion of each upper rear bar 30 and at the frontby front cross brace 20 affixed to the generally midpoint of each frontbox bar 24.

The motor 32 is pivotally mounted on the frame assembly 14 by means ofmotor mounting 34 (FIG. 5) which comprises a pair of sides 36 and 38held in spaced and parallel manner by forward cross member 40 connectedto the forward ends of sides 36 and 38 and middle cross member 42affixed to the sides 36 and 38 midway their ends, thus the rear end ofthe motor mounting is open. Each forward end of the sides 36 and 38 isprovided with a hole 44 and 46, respectively, to receive a pivot pin.The rear end of each side is provided with a vertical slot 48 and 50,respectively.

The motor 32 is secured to the mounting 34 by means of bolts passingthrough holes 54 in forward cross member 40 and middle cross member 42.Referring to FIG. 4, each bottom bar 26 is provided with a hole 56 whichholes receive pivot pins 58 inserted in holes 44 of the motor mounting34 to pivotally support said mounting between the frames 16 at theforward end thereof. Each lower rear bar 28 is provided with a hole toreceive a bolt and nut assembly 59 so that mounting sides 36 and 38 withtheir respective vertical slots 48 and 50 may fit over the bolts of thenut and bolt assemblies 59 whereby the pivoted position of the motormounting 34 may be adjustably positioned.

As best shown in FIG. 4, each lower rear box bar 28 is equipped with atrunnion bearing assembly 60 to provide a bearing arrangement for wheelaxle 62 rotatably carrying wheel 64.

The rear cross plate 18 mounts a pair of vertically spaced and alignedpillow block bearings 62 and 64 with aking pin 66 extending therethroughto pivotally support circular bearings 68 and 70 carried thereon betweenthe pillow block bearings 62 and 64 and held in spaced relation bysemi-cylindrical member 72 affixed to each circular bearing 68 and 70.Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, curved support forks 74 and 76 are connectedto the circular bearing 68 and diverge downwardly to be secured tohorizontal coupling plate 78. A single curved bracket 80 is connected tothe circular bearing 70 and curves downwardly to be attached to couplingplate 78 at a point rearwardly and intermediate support forks 74 and 78.The coupling plate 78 is provided with a plurality of holes 82 adaptedto register with holes 84 and in coupling member 86 carried by thevehicle component 12 to be pulled by the front drive unit 10. Preferablyquick fastening means are employed to rigidly connect the coupling plate78 to the coupling member 86.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the one wheeled tandem seat unit 12comprises a base frame 90 having side Outriggers 92 for foot support anda pair of seats 94 and 96. The frame 90 is provided with a pair oftrunnin bearings 98 to rotatably support the axle 100 of wheel 102. Theframe 90 is also provided with a coupling member 86 adapted to besecured to coupling'plate 78 of the front drive unit 10. In order tosteer the vehicle, a pair of handle bars 104 and 106 are affixed toupper ends of upper rear bars 3030.

Instead of the tandem unit 12 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the frontdrive unit 10 may be employed to pull a carryall 110 which includes aframe 112 mounting a pair of longitudinally disposed seats 114 and 116and a pair of wheels 118 and 120. This carryall 112 is secured to thefront drive unit 10 in the same manner as that described with regard tothe combination shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

When the front drive unit 10 is used in conjunction with a two-wheeledrear vehicle such as the carryall 112 illustrated in FIG. 3, thevertical angle between the cross plate 18 and the vertical should beapproximately l6the other as illustrated in FIG. 4. On the other handwhen the front drive unit 10 is used with a single wheel vehicle such asthe tandems of FIGS. 1 and 2, then there should be angle of 25 betweenthe cross plate 18 and the vertical as illustrated in FIG. 6. In orderto accomplish this, a shim 121 is positioned between the cross plate 18and the pillow block bearings 62 and 64 with the large portion of theshim wedge being placed at the top to enlarge the angle from the normal16 as in FIG. 4 to 25 as in FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, the motor mounting frame assembly 34 also has a pairof aligned parallel support brackets 120-422 mounted on frame sides 36and 38, respectively. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a drive shaft 126carried by bracket supports 120 and 122 has a pinion 128 fixedly carriedthereon in alignment with sprocket 130 fixed to axle 62 mounting wheel64. The pinion 128 and sprocket 130 are operatively connected by aflexible chain 132. In order to maintain proper adjustment of the chain132, the motor mounting frame assembly 34 is pivotable about pivot pin58. The pivoted adjustment is maintained by nut and bolt assemblies S9cooperating with slots 48 and S in the rear end portions of side frames36 and 38.

The motor 32 used in this front wheel drive unit is of the more or lessconventional type of internal combustion engine found on powerizedlawnmowers and the like and may be either two or four cycle.

The use of the device of this invention should be clear in view of theforegoing description. The front drive unit 10 is connected to asuitable vehicle component 12 by means'of fasteners which connectscoupling plate 78 with coupling member 86. The front drive unit issteered by handle bars 104 and 106. By having the drive wheel in front,the stability and ease of steering are considerably enhanced.

I claim:

1. A one wheeled front drive unit adapted to pull a vehicle componentremovably attached thereto, said front drive unit comprising:

a frame assembly including a pair of parallel spaced frames held inposition by a rear cross plate connected between corresponding rearwardsides of said frames and a forward cross brace connected betweencorresponding frame sides on the forward end of said frames,

a mounting frame assembly mounted between the aforesaid pair of spacedparallel frames for pivoting movement relative to the forward portion ofsaid frames,

a motor carried by the mounting frame assembly,

a pair of spaced upstanding brackets mounted on the mounting frameassembly,

a drive shaft rotatably carried by the pair of spaced upstandingbrackets,

a single wheel rotatably carried between the rearward portions of theframes,

a sprocket mounted for rotation with said wheel,

a pinion affixed to the drive shaft in alignment with the sprocket,

a flexible chain drivably connecting the pinion and sprocket,

cooperating means on the rearward end of the mounting frame assembly andthe rearward end of the parallel spaced frames to retain the pinion inproper relation to the sprocket so that proper engagement is achievedbetween the flexible chain,

- sprocket and pinion,

bearing means secured to the rear cross plate,

three curved supports connected to said bearing means for rotation abouta generally vertically axis, said three curved supports extendingdownwardly in spaced relation to a position below the bearing means,

a coupling means secured to the lower extremities of the three curvedsupports, said coupling means being adapted to be secured to a vehiclecomponent to be pulled by the front drive unit.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 and wherein the mounting frameassembly comprises a pair of side frames held in spaced and parallelposition by a front bracket connecting the front ends of the side framesand a cross bracket connected to the side frames intermediate theirlengths and means are provided for partially mounting the end portionsof the side frames to adjacent frames of the frame assembly.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vertical angularityof the bearing means with respect to the vertical may be varieddepending on the type of vehicle component being pulled by the frontdrive unit.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 2 and wherein the motor carriedon the mounting frame assembly is positioned forward of the axis ofrotation of the front drive wheel.

1. A one wheeled front drive unit adapted to pull a vehicle componentremovably attached thereto, said front drive unit comprising: a frameassembly including a pair of parallel spaced frames held in position bya rear cross plate connected between corresponding rearward sides ofsaid frames and a forward cross brace connected between correspondingframe sides on the forward end of said frames, a mounting frame assemblymounted between the aforesaid pair of spaced parallel frames forpivoting movement relative to the forward portion of said frames, amotor carried by the mounting frame assembly, a pair of spacedupstanding brackets mounted on the mounting frame assembly, a driveshaft rotatably carried by the pair of spaced upstanding brackets, asingle wheel rotatably carried between the rearward portions of theframes, a sprocket mounted for rotation with said wheel, a pinionaffixed to the drive shaft in alignment with the sprocket, a flexiblechain drivably connecting the pinion and sprocket, cooperating means onthe rearward end of the mounting frame assembly and the rearward end ofthe parallel spaced frames to retain the pinion in proper relation tothe sprocket so that proper engagement is achieved between the flexiblechain, sprocket and pinion, bearing means secured to the rear crossplate, three curved supports connected to said bearing means forrotation about a generally vertically axis, said three curved supportsextending downwardly in spaced relation to a position below the bearingmeans, a coupling means secured to the lower extremities of the threecurved supports, said coupling means being adapted to be secured to avehicle component to be pulled by the front drive unit.
 2. The inventionas set forth in claim 1 and wherein the mounting frame assemblycomprises a pair of side frames held in spaced and parallel position bya front bracket connecting the front ends of the side frames and a crossbracket connected to the side frames intermediate their lengths andmeans are provided for partially mounting the end portions of the sideframes to adjacent frames of the frame assembly.
 3. The invention as setforth in claim 1 wherein the vertical angularity of the bearing meanswith respect to the vertical may be varied depending on tHe type ofvehicle component being pulled by the front drive unit.
 4. The inventionas set forth in claim 2 and wherein the motor carried on the mountingframe assembly is positioned forward of the axis of rotation of thefront drive wheel.